Lamp shade head assembly



P 1957 J. M. GOLDEN 1 2,805,329

LAMP SHADE HEAD ASSEMBLY Filed March 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Sept. 3, 1957 J. M. GOLDEN 7 2,805,329

LAMP SHADE HEAD ASSEMBLY Filed March 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

JACOB M. GOLDEN LAlVIP SHADE HEAD ASSEMBLY Jacob M. Golden, Brooklyn, N. Y., assign-or to Universal Lamp Harp Corp.

Application March 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,045

4 Claims. (Cl. 240-148) This invention relates to an adjustable lamp shade head assembly and more particularly to an assembly whereby a lamp shade may be supported on a lamp base for universal rocking or tilting movement into any desired position.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a lamp shade head assembly wherein a lamp shade may be supported upon the harp or similar supporting structure carried by a lamp base and which is capable of being rocked or tilted in a universal manner thereby permitting the illumination from the lamp to be directed at any desired angle or to any desired location, without changing the position of the lamp.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a lamp shade head assembly of the character indicated, which is simple and economical to manufacture on a large scale and which may be readily adjusted to any desired angle and retained in that position against accidental movement or dislodgement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the parts may be readily formed and assembled.

Other and further objects, benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description thereof contained in the annexed drawings, specifications and claims or will otherwise become obvious.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates an elevational view of a lamp equipped with a shade head support assembly in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the head assembly on an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a cross-section of Figure 2 taken along line 44 thereof,

Figure 5 is a cross-section of Figure 2 taken along line 55 thereof,

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a fragment of a portion of the harp crossbar or connecting top showing portions of the instant device in broken lines,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of the invention,

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-section of the device as shown in Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a cross-section of Figure 7 taken along line 9-9 thereof, and

Figure 10 is a cross-section of Figure 8 taken along line 10-10 thereof.

As shown in Figure 1, the invention is employed in conjunction with a conventional form of lamp base 10 which may be of any suitable form or configuration. The base 10 is provided with a lamp socket within which an electric illuminating lamp 11 is supported. It is conventional in conjunction with lamp shades of this type to interpose a collar between the socket and the base, which collar has secured thereto the side arms 13 of the lamp supporting structure of harp 12. The side arms 13 of the harp 12 are connected at their top por- States Patent'fC) tions by means of a crossbar portion 14 which is formed integrally with said side arms 13. The harp 12 is advantageously formed of a wire suitably bent to a substantially U-shaped body having converging side arms and a connecting top or crossbar portion 14. The lamp shade supporting head structure is mounted upon the crossbar portion 14 of the harp 12. The central portion of the crossbar 14 of the harp is formed or bent to provide a portion 15 which forms part of the lamp shade support as will more clearly appear hereafter.

As may be more particularly seen in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, the lamp supporting head is comprised essentially of a ball and socket arrangement upon which a lamp shade may be secured. The crossbar portion 14 of the harp 12 has formed thereon a concavely arcuate looped portion 15 across which a ball retaining bracket 16 is fixedly secured. The concavely arcuate loop may advantageously be formed by bending the wire body of the harp. The ball retaining bracket 16 is comprised of a substantially horizontal cap portion 17 having depending arms 18 formed at the ends thereof. Each of said depending arms 18 is provided with an open slot 19 which is advantageously of somewhat lesser width than the diameter of the wire of which the harp is formed. As may be more particularly seen from Figures 4, 5 and 6, the crossbar portion 14 of the harp 12 is provided with a pair of indentations or grooves 20 formed at either side of the arcuately bent portion. These grooves may be out into the body of the wire or may be formed by merely compressing the particular area. As may be more particularly seen in Figure 4, there are thus formed a pair of flattened surfaces on the body of the wire and the bracket is mounted thereon by passing these grooved portions 20 into the slots 19 formed in the depending side arms of the bracket. Each of the arms of the bracket is then pressed against the grooved portion of the wire to thereby securely lock the bracket into position and secure said bracket thereon against any movement. As an alternative method of fixedly securing said bracket to the crossbar portion of the harp, the slots may be formed :of suflicient width to receive the body of the wire and the walls surrounding the slot 19 are then compressed. The side walls of the slot are thus forced together and bite into the body of the wire to thereby fixedly secure said bracket upon the harp. The said cap portion 17 of the bracket 16 is provided with a substantially centrally disposed aperture 21, the periphery of which is spherically concaved thereby providing a socket forming flange as shown at 22. Received within the cage thus formed by the looped portion 15 of the harp and the ball retaining bracket 16 is a spherical ball 23 formed on the end of a threaded stud 24. Said spherical ball 24 is inserted between the loop and bracket prior to the assembly of the parts, the aperture 21 in said bracket 16 being of smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball thereby forming a ball retaining cage withinwhich said ball is capable of being rotated. The arcuately looped portion of the harp engages about the ball and forms a friction bearing surface therefor, the ball being firmly pressed against the harp wire by the socket forming flange 22 on the bracket 16. In securing the bracket to the harp, the parts are firmly pressed together so that a tension is applied to the loop by reason of the pressure exerted thereon by the ball surface. The resilience of the arcuately bent portion of the harp wire provides for snug frictional contact of the ball within the cage, particularly by reason of the yielding action of the harp wire under pressure exerted during the assembly of the bracket and ball therewith. The arrangement firmly holds the ball in any desired position of adjustment while permitting the ball to be manually rotated or swivelled within the cage thus formed to permit the position of the shade to be readjusted.

A collar 25 is formed at the junctures of the threaded stud 24 with the .ball 23 as shown 'at 26. A washer 27 maybe seated :on said collar 25 'so that the central ring of "a lamp shade .29 may be readily positioned-thereon and firmly secured thereto by means of a suitable nut or finial 28 in threaded engagement with said stud 24. "The lamp shade. may then be adjusted to any desired angle of adjustment by merely moving it to the desired position. The movement of the shade swivels the ball within its cage formed by the'fixed bearing surface of the socket forming flange 22 and the resilient bearing surface pro vided by the looped portion 15 of the harp wire. From the foregoing it will be seen that the threaded stud extending from the ball and the lamp shade which is mounted thereon may be readily swivelled in any direction'by reason of the universal frictional joint thus formed. The friction between the parts is suflicient to maintain the lamp shade in any position of adjustment and the lamp may be nevertheless manually readjusted to any other desired position. 7

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of the invention wherein a complementary ball retaining bracket 31 is provided to form a socket surrounding a more substantial ball surface area along the diameter of the ball and to provide for a smoother and more positive swivelling or universal movement of the ball. The arrangement is identical with that of the previously illustrated embodiment of the invention and the parts have therefor been identified by similar numerals. An additional complementary ball retaining bracket 31 having a cap portion 32 from which side arms 33 depend is provided in nested relation with bracket 16 exteriorly thereof. The side arms of the complementary interior bracket 31 are provided with indentations 34 which permit said arms 33 to rest upon and surround a portion of the Wire forming the harp. The cap portion 32 of the interior bracket 31 is provided with a substantially centrally disposed aperture, the peripheral edge of which is concavely arcuate and comprises a socket forming flange complementary to the socket forming flange provided on the exterior bracket 16. It will thus be noted that the assembly of the two brackets 16 and 31 forms a bearing surface for a substantial portion of the diameter .of the ball. Although this embodiment of the invention includes an additional part and is therefore somewhat more expensive to manufacture, it has been found that by reason of the employment of the nested complemental bracket, a smoother and more positive control of the swivelling action of the ball and consequently the shade mounted upon the stud extending therefrom is achieved.

1 have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

1 claim: 7

1. An adjustable lamp shade head assembly including a lamp harp having a crossbar portion, a stud for supporting a lamp shade, means including a universal friction joint'connecting said stud and said harp, 'said' joint including a spherical member secured to said stud, a concavely 'arcuate loop formed on the crossbar of said harp in engagement with a'portion of said spherical member, a retaining bracket fixedly secured on said harp in spaced relation to said looped portion retaining said spherical member in frictional contact therewith.

2. An adjustable lamp shade supporting assembly including a lamp harp comprising a substantially U-shaped body having a pair of side arms connected by a crossbar, a stud for supporting a lamp shade, means including a universal friction joint connecting said stud and said harp, said joint including a spherical member secured to said stud resting upon and in frictional contact with the crossbar of said harp, a retaining bracket fixedly secured on said crossbar of said harp for retaining said spherical member in contact with said crossbar, said retaining bracket comprising a substantially horizontal cap portion having depending arms formedat the ends thereof, said bracket being secured to said crossbar by means of said arms.

3. An adjustable lamp shade supporting head assembly including a lamp harp comprising a substantially U-shaped body having a pair of side arms connected by a crossbar, a stud for supporting a lamp shade, means including a universal friction joint connecting said stud and the crossbar portion of said harp, said joint including a spherical member formed on one end of said stud, a retaining bracket fixedly secured to said harp said retaining bracket comprising a substantially horizontal cap portion having depending arms formed at the ends thereof, each of said arms being secured to said crossbar, said horizontal cap being disposed in spaced relation to a portion of said crossbar, said spherical member being retained resting upon and in frictional contact Withsaid crossbar portion, said retaining bracket being provided with an aperture of smaller diameter than the diameter of said spherical member of said stud extending through said aperture.

4. An adjustable lamp shade supporting head assembly including a lamp harp comprising .a substantially U-shaped body having -a pair of side arms connected by a crossbar, said crossbar having a concavely arcuate looped portion, a stud for supporting a lamp shade, means including a universal friction joint connecting said stud and the crossbar of said harp, said joint including a spherical member formed on one end of said stud, a retaining bracket secured to said harp in spaced relation to said crossbar portion and extending across said looped portion thereof for retaining said spherical member between said bracket and said crossbar and in frictional contact with the looped portion thereof, said 'retainingbracket being provided with an aperture of smaller diameter than the diameter of said spherical member and said stud extending through said aperture.

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